Splitting machine



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Feb. 20, 194@a T, s. CLARKE ET AL;

SPLITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 3l, 1938 Ill llifllll vlll|ll| o Patented Feb. zo, 1940 i UNITED STATES 2,190,771 srmrrme MACHINE Thomas Baggott Clarke and Hubert Boothroyd, Leicester, England, assignors to United `Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N.V J., a corporation of New Jersey o Application October 31, 1938, `Serial No. 237,964

i In Great Britain November Z4, 1937 8 Claims,

This invention relates to splitting machines for use in the manufacture of shoes andis herein illustrated as embodied in an" improved machine of the general type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,100,431, granted November 30,1937 on an application led in our names.

The various features of the invention will be understood and appreciated from the following detailed description read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in whichi Fig. l is a front view, partly in section and partly broken away, of` the illustrated splitting machine; y i

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views on lines II-.-II and III-III of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a pair of rolls which are used in the machine equipped to split heel-breast covering flaps fromsoles of shoes.

The illustrated machine is described with ref,- erence to splitting a layer of `material of uniform thickness such, `for example, as a heelbreast covering nap, from a leather sole which is of substantially uniform thickness but of varying density. The work piece supported by a table 20 (Figs. 1 and 2) is fed by upper and lower rolls 22, 24, respectively, against a splitting knife tlsecured to the main frame 28 by a screw 3D (Fig. `2) which passes through an elongated slot 32 in the knife and is threaded into the main frame. The layer of material split from the work piece passes through a gap 34 (Fig. 2) formed between a straight elongated cutting edge 35 of the knife and the upper feed roll 22 which is initially adjustable toward and away from the cutting edge of the knife but vis not yieldable under` pressure of the "wo-rk. The thickness of the layer of material split from the workpiece varies in accordance with `the position of the upper roll 22 which may be referred to as a gage roll. The remaining portion of the split work piece passes between the cutting edge 36 of the knife 2E and the lower roll 24 which is yieldable away from the knife in accordancewth the thickness of the work piece and the density lower roll 24, the arrangement being such that vertical movement of the lower roll 24 in one direction will cause a proportionate but less vertical movement of the upper roll 22 in `"an opposite direction. The upper and lower rolls 22, 24 are of the same diameter and rotate at the same speed, power being supplied to the rolls by gears 38 and Ml, respectively, which are keyed to extensions of the rolls and are operatedby suitable mechanism.

The lower roll 24 is rotatablymounted in globular-bearings 42 (Fig. 1) which seat in correspondingly shaped recesses formed' in the forlward ends of supporting arms 44 (Figs. 1 and 2) respectively, loosely mounted upona horizontal shaft 4E (Fig. 2), the arrangement 4being such,`

that the lower roll may tip freely laterally should a work piece be tapered laterally or be more compressible along one side margin than the other. `As the lower roll 24 moves downward about the shaft 46 it also moves `forward thereby insuring that adequate 'clearance for the lower portion of the work piece is provided at all times between the roll and the lower surface of the knife 25.

Y The lower roll 24 is normally held in a raisedl Abracket 5o (Figs. 1 and 2) is secured to the main 4frame of the machine and has its ends closed by cover plates 52 (Fig. 1) and itsunder side partiallyl closed by a cover plate 54 (Figs, 1 and 2). Slidingly mounted in the bracket 5t above aphorizontal upper roll adjusting slide 56 isa wedge bar 58 (Figs. 1, 2 andB) which is movable` widthwise of the machine in a `direction parallel to and lengthwise of the feed rolls 22,` 24; The `wedge bar 58 is` provided with flat upper and lower faces B0, 62 (Figs. 1 and 3) respectively, inclined to each other, the distance between the upper and lower faces increasing toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1. Locatedbetween the lower inclined faces 62 of the wedge bar 58 and the upper horizontalface `of the adjusting slide 56 are two movable blocks 64 (Figs.` 1 and 3) which are prevented from being moved forward or rearward of the machine by the bracket 511 and laterally of the machine bythe cover plates 52 and 54..` The blocks 64 have horizontal lower 'faces` resting upon the flat upper face of the adjusting slide 5E. The upper facesof the blocks 64 are arranged in parallel relation to the lower inclined faces '62 of the wedge bar 58 and between said `faces are arranged `friction rollers 65 held in place by bearing cages 68. Above the upper inclinedfaces Ell of the wedge bar 58 are" T blocks 'l0 having lower faces arrangedlin parallel` relation to the upper inclined faces ofthe wedge bar, and between these faces are anti-fric-` the blocks from being moved forward or rearrf-` n The screws 'i8 provide means serving in assembling the machine tov ward of the machine.

adjust the upper roll 22 which isconstantly urged upward by pairs of relatively 4weak springs 82 (Figs. 1 and 2) with relation to the cutting edge",v

36 of the knife 26. The upper roll is mounted in bearings 84 which are constantly urged upwardly by the springs 82, the lower ends of whichv t in bores formed in the respective arms 44. It will be appreciated that, if desirable, the lower ends of thesprings 82 may be housed in the main frame 28.

The bearings 84 in which the upper roll 22v is mounted extend upwardly and are provided with inclined faces 86 extending downward and to the right, asviewed in Fig. 1. At the left side ofthe machine the bearing84 is provided with an-'up- 4wardly 'extending portion 88 (Fig- 1) inA which is ,rotatablymounted a/screw 9,6 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The screw 96 is prevented from moving length-K wise inthe bearing 84 and has' a hand wheel 92 secured to itsleft end, as viewed in Fig. 1. vThe screw 96 is' threaded into a nut 94, tting in a ,recess 96 formed in the upwardly'extending portion 88 of the left-hand bearing 84. Theleft.- hand portion of the adjusting slide 56 is forked, as best illustrated in Fig. 3, the arms 98 of the fork passing behind and in front of the upwardly extending portion 88 of the left-hand bearing of the upper roll 22. `ofthe adjusting slide56 are vertical groovesV |66 (Figs. 1 and 3) shaped to receive front and rear projections |62 of the nut 94. When the screw 96 is rotatedv the nut is moved laterally of the machine causing the slide 56 to berased or lowered withrelation to the bearings 84 of the upper roll 22 thereby initially adjusting the vupper roll which, as .abovey stated,is constantly urged upward by the springs 82, to vary the width ofthegap34.` When the work piecey supported bythe table 26 enters between the feed rolls 22, '24 the'llower roll is moved downward abouttheaxis ofthe shaft 46 (Fig. 2), thesprings48 causing the work piece to be compressed and to exert upwardpressure against the upper roll 22 whichfis held against upward movement by theslide 5E `and may be described as' being non-yieldable.-

In order `to vary the'widthofthegap 134 `in accordance with the'density of the work piece being split there is' provided mechanism which will now be described, for' operatively-connecting the supporting arms 44 to the wedgebar 58', the arrangement being such that movement `of the lower roll 24 in one direction will cause a propor-J tionately less movement of 'the upper roll `in. an opposite direction.` In splitting heel-breast cover- `ing flaps from` soles theratio of movement of the fing from ita lug |64 (Fig. 2) in whichlisformed a recess l'forreceivingthe lower end of an up-l wardly extending thrust rod-.|684 The bottom of Formed 'in the innerfaces each recess |66 is approximately in the saine horizontal plane asthe axis of rotation of the lower roll 24, and the vertical axis of each recess, when Viewed from the front of the machine, is arranged in a vertical plane H6 passing through the corresponding globular bearing 42 (Fig. 1). With such an arrangement upward and downward movementof one end only ofthe lower roll 24 does not materially affect the "heightwise position of the bearing 42 at the other `endof.I the lower roll. i

. pivoted to a horizontal arm of a bell-crank lever "I |6`w'hichis pivoted upon a stud H8 secured to the .bracket 56. The vertical arm of the bellcrank lever ||6 is pivoted to the right-hand end of a Substantially horizontal link |26 pivoted` to the lower end of a wedge bar lever |22 which -`is in the vertical position shown in Fig.l1 when the machine is idle. 'pivoted midway between its ends on a stud |24 The wedge bar lever |22 is (Figs.r 1 and 2) secured to the wed-ge bar 58 which, as above described, controls the heightwise position of the upper roll 22. w The thrust bar |68 Yat the left side of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1 has at its upper'end an enlarged portion into which is threaded a rod |26 secured inits adjusted position to the thrust rod by a lock nut |28. The rod |26 is pivoted to a horizontal arm of a bell-crank lever |36 pivoted upon a stud |32 secured to the bracket" 56. .A vertical arm of th bell-crank lever |36 is pivoted tothe left-hand end of a substantially horizontal link |34 which` is pivotally connected to the upper end of the wedge bar lever |22. The bell-crank? levers ||6 and |36 are identical and vare arranged in' parallel relation. The lower roll 24' moves yupwardly when a readily compressible Iportion of the workpiece enters between the rolls `22 and 24, `the rods |68 then being moved upwardly causing the bell-crank levers |116, |36 to swing in clockwise direction. The'bell-crank lever ||6 thrusts the link |26 connected to it and the lower end 'of the ywedge bar |22 toward the left, whilethe bell-crank lever |36 pulls through the link |34 connected to it and to the upper end of the wedge bar lever |22 toward the left and therefore moves the wedge bar 58 toward the left a distance equal to the upward movement of the lower roll. Movement of .thewedge bar 58 towardfthe left` causesl the upper roll 22 to be moved downward a distance proportional to the amount of upward movement of the lower roll, the ratio of the movement of the two rolls 22, 24 in oppositedirections depending upon the angle of the vfaces 66 and 62 (Figs. 1 and 3) of the wedge bar 58.

In the illustrated embodiment if during the splitting operation'both ends of the lowerrroll 24 movexupward and one end, in addition, moves upward relatively to the other end of the roll, owing to variations in the density of the work piece toward one side `or the other, the wedge barlever |22 will, beside being moved to the left, be swung about its pivotal connection to the link |26 or |34 connected to the other end ofthe lower roll, and since the two links are pivoted to the wedge bar lever at equal distances from its pivot to the wed'gebar 58`the latter will, as a result of the swinging movement' of the wedge bar lever 122,-be moved to the left a distance-equal to half `proportionate downward adjustmentof the lower roll 22 corresponding to the bodily upward movementof the lower roll, plushalf that of the end of the lower roll which moves upwardly the greater distance.

It will be clear from the foregoing that when the uniformly thick sole is of the same density Widthwise, but of varying densiti1 lengthwise, the lower yieldable roll will have imparted to it translatory or bodily movement as the sole is progressively fed against the knife. When the sole is of varying density widthwise as well as length- Wise, however, the sole 24, in addition to being moved toward or away from the knife as above described, `tilts wdthwise of the sole during the splitting operation. The Wedge bar 5B, which serves as an abutment for determining the position` of the gage roll 22, is thus moved into different operative positions through the yieldable feed roll and the above-described mechanism in accordance with lengthwise and widthwise variations in density of the sole.

The, machine, therefore, compensates readily for variations in `density extending uniformly from one side to the other of the material, and also for variations in the density of the material along one side margin or ,the` other relatively to the opposite sides of a work piece.

In order to prevent the upper roll from being raised an undue distance from the knife when a, thicker work piece than the machine is arranged toroperate upon is presented to the rolls 22, 24, the wedge bar 58 has secured to it a screw |36 which projects through an opening in the left cover plate 52, as viewed in Fig. 2, and carries a nut |38 `arranged to engage the cover plate and limit movement ofthe wedge bar `toward the right.

The work piece mounted upon the table 20 is guided into the rolls 2|?, 2li by a pair of centralizing fingers Mil the lower ends of, which are positioned just above the table. fingers Mil are pivotedat |42 and are provided with intermeshing gear segments Hill, the` ar-` leading edge of the work piece has reached the cutting edge 3d of the knife 26.

The hand wheel 92 for moving the adjusting slide 55 laterally ofthe machine is provided with spaced notches |59 which are engaged by a leaf spring `|52 secured to the upwardly extending portion 8d of the left-hand bearing of the upper roll 22. The notches |55 are so positioned that rotation of the hand wheel from one notch to the next causes the upper roll to move upward or l downward 1/4 of an iron. one iron being approximately 1,43 of an inch. With the above arrangement the operator may quickly adjust the upper roll a desired amount if it is found by measurement of the work piece which has been split that adjustment of the roll is necessary.

In splitting heel-breast covering flaps |54 (Fig. 4) the split sole is withdrawn from the machine `it `is fed during the splitting stroke.

The respective in adirection oppositeto the 4direction, inywhich To equip the machine for splitting fiaps a `pair of rolls |55, |58 and operating mechanism `therefor (not shown) suchas disclosed inUnited States Letters Patent No. 1,638,929, granted August` 16, 1927, on an application` led in the "names of Joseph Gouldbourn and Wilfrid Minett, are provided. The upper roll l56-has a flattened surface |69, the lower roll ld being `cylindrical throughout its periphery. The rolls are provided the face |13@ is in opposed relation to the lower roll` |53 which is depressed against` the action of the springs `d8. The operating mechanism for the machine is so constructed and arranged that the machine comes to arestwhen the rolls |55, |5il are `arranged in the positions indicated in Fig. 4, thus permitting the split Soleto be removed from the machine without danger of splitting the flap |54. Since the construction and operation ofthe above machine is described in detail in said United States Letters Patent No. 1,638,929 it will not be necessary furtherto .describe the same herein. i f

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire `to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a splitting machine, a Xed knife having an elongated cutting edge, `a gage member, means forinitially adjusting said gage member with relation tothe cutting edge of the knife to form a gap of a predetermined width in accordance with the desired thickness of a pieceof material to be split from a work piece, a yieldable member mounted for bodilyfmovement and also for tilting movement with relation` to the knife in accordance with the density of or variations in the density of the material fedb-y said members against the knife, and means constructed and arranged to move the gage member a predetermined distance in one direction in accordance with the amount of bodily movement of the yieldable member in an opposite direction and also to move the gage member an additional distance in said one direction in accordance with the degree of tilting movement of the yieldable member in said opposite direction. l i

f 2. In a splitting machine, a knifehaving a cutting edge, a movable abutment, a gage roll, resilient means for moving the gage roll to a predetermined operative position in accordance with the position of the abutment, a `yieldable feed roll which is constructed and arranged for bodily and also for tilting movement away from the knife under pressure of a work piece forced against the knife by said rolls, and mechanism operatively connecting the yieldable roll and the abutment, said mechanism being constructed and arranged to coordinate movement of the abutment and bodily movement of the yieldable feed roll in a predetermined ratio and also to coordinate movement of the abutment and the tilting movement of the yieldable feed roll in another predetermined ratio.

3. In a splitting machine, a fixed knife having aicutting edge, a gage roll, means for initially adjusting the gageroll with relation to the cutting edge of the knife to form a gap of `a prede- .fio

termined width in accordance with the desired thickness of` a piece of material to be split from a` work piece, a feed roll mounted for bodily movement with relation to the knife about an axis in accordance `with the density of the` work piece forcedby said rolls against the knife, said axis being spaced a considerable distancefrom the feed roll and being arranged in parallel relation to the cutting edge of the knife, and mechanism for causing movement of the feed roll in one direction to effect a proportionately less movement of the gage roll in an opposite direction.

4. In a splitting machine, a knifehaving a cutting edge, an abutment, a gage ro-ll, resilient means for moving the gage roll to a predetermined position with relation to the knife in accordance with the position of the abutment, a yieldable feed roll, globular bearings for 'supporting the Opposite ends of the yieldable feed roll, supports for said bearings, springs for constantly urging the respective supports toward the knife, and connections between the respective supports and the abutment constructed andarranged to coordinate the movement of the rolls in a predetermined ratio in opposite directions in accordance with equal movement ofv the supports toward or away from the knife and in another predetermined ratio in opposite directionsy in accordance with the differential movement of the supports toward or away from the knife. Y

5. In a splitting machine, a knife having an elongated cutting edge, a non-yieldable roll, means for initially adjusting said roll with relation to the cutting edge of the knife to form a gap of a predetermined width, 'a' yieldable roll constructed and arranged to cooperate with said non-yieldable roll for feeding a work piece against the cutting edge of the knife to split said work piece, a wedge bar for limiting movement of the non-yieldable roll away from the knife, and means comprising said wedge bar constructed and arranged to cause translatory movement of the yieldable roll in one direction to effect a proportionately less movement of the non-yieldable roll in an opposite direction and also constructed and arranged to cause tilting movement of theY yieldable roll to effect an additional movement of the non-yieldable roll in said opposite direction.

6. In a splitting machine, a fixed knife having a cutting edge, a roll which is initially adjustable with relation to the cutting edge of the knife to form a gap of a predetermined Width between the roll and said cutting edge, a second roll arranged to cooperate with the first-named roll for forcing a Work piece` against the knife to split lsaid 'Work piece, means for rotating said rolls,

bearings in which said second-named roll is rotatably mounted, each of said bearings being individually mounted for pivotal movement about an axis, a spring for normally urging each of the bearings toward the knife, and mechanism for causing movement of the second-named feed roll in one direction to elfect a proportionately less movement of the other'feed roll in an opposite direction.

7. In a splitting machine, a knife having a straight cutting edge, a roll, means comprising bearings in which said roll is rotatably mounted, an abutment, springs for forcing said means against the abutment to locate said roll in a predetermined position with relation to the cutting edge of the knife, a second roll constructed and arranged to cooperate with the first-named roll for feeding a work piece against the cutting edge of the knife to split said work piece, globular bearings in which said second-named roll is rotatably mounted, said globular bearings being mounted for individual pivotal movement about an axis which is approximately parallel to the cutting edge of the knife, and mechanism which is operatively connected to the globular bearings and is constructed and arranged to move said abutment to a predetermined position in accordance with theposition of the second-named roll.

8. In a splitting machine, a knife having a cutting edge, yieldable and non-yieldable rolls, bearings for supporting the opposite ends of the yieldable roll, means comprising said bearings constructed and arranged to permit the yieldable roll to move toward and away from the knife and to tilt with relation to the knife under pressure of a work piece fed by said rolls agaisnt the cutting edge of the knife, a wedge bar for determining the location of the non-yieldable roll, and means operatively connecting the bearings of the yieldable roll to the wedge bar, said means being constructed and arranged to move the wedge bar a predetermined distance in accordance with the movement in unison of the bearings and also to move the Wedge bar an additional predetermined distance in accordance with the differential movement of said bearings.

THOMAS BAGGOTT CLARKE. HUBERT BOOTHROYD. 

